Chapter 66

Chapter 66 - 66 065 Xie Shang goes public with his relationship Chapter 66: 065: Xie Shang goes public with his relationship (Second update) Chapter 66: 065: Xie Shang goes public with his relationship (Second update) Wen Changling was about to walk as directed when Mr. Xie’s voice came through her ear again, “Forget it, find somewhere you can take shelter from the rain and wait there for me.”

She agreed, hung up the phone, and took shelter from the rain under the awning outside the milk tea shop. A snail lay on the support pole of the awning, seemingly also seeking shelter from the rain.

She was observing the snail’s tentacles.

The snail’s eyes were on its tentacles, which would regrow if broken. Ah Na had told her this, Ah Na loved reading and was like a walking encyclopedia.

“Changling.”

She turned around and amidst the chaotic flow of traffic and people, spotted Mr. Xie at once; he was dressed in black and holding a red umbrella.

Red suited him very well.

It seemed the more intense, the more it suited him.

“How come you’re so quick?” Wen Changling checked her phone, less than five minutes had passed since she hung up the call.

“Just happened to be nearby.”

Wen Changling walked under the umbrella, and Mr. Xie tilted it slightly toward her.

The distance between the two was half a person’s width.

“Is the lantern broken? It’s not lit.”

“A utility pole got knocked down by the wind, a few streets have lost power.” Mr. Xie stopped, lifting the umbrella a little higher to let Wen Changling step around a puddle first, “You got off work much later today.”

“The hospital was very busy today.”

The rain was pouring down heavily, pattering against the umbrella.

Mr. Xie walked in step with Wen Changling, taking his time.

She pushed the umbrella, which was tilted towards her, a bit further away, “You’re getting wet.”

Mr. Xie wrapped one arm around her lower back, pulling her slightly into the shelter of the umbrella, and her white sweatshirt finally touched his black shirt.

There was a dried fruit shop at the street corner of Lotus Pond Street.

The proprietress of the shop had been talking animatedly with a customer, but upon seeing Wen Changling, she immediately fell silent.

The customer noticed and glanced at Wen Changling, their eyes conveying, “So it’s her.”

They were discussing her, discussing the matter concerning Ah Na.

Wen Changling quickened her pace.

“Changling.”

Sister Tao, from the fruit shop, waved her over, “Come here for a moment.”

Wen Changling crossed the street and entered the fruit shop. Sister Tao’s shop was small, with various fruits displayed along both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Xie didn’t go in, instead, he waited outside.

“I’ve cut a melon; you take this half back to eat,” Sister Tao had already packed it up.

Watermelons had just come into season and were selling at a high price.

“That’s too much.”

Wen Changling took out her phone to transfer money.

Sister Tao pushed her phone away, “It’s not too much. It’s not just for you. Haomin brought Tongtong over, and there are many people at your place. Take it back and share.”

Sister Tao hadn’t made much money from the shop, and Wen Changling felt partly responsible. She only occasionally tutored Aimin and Aiguo, and Sister Tao would almost daily share some fruit with her, never accepting payment.

Sister Tao went to the fruit basket outside and cut half a bunch of leftover bananas. She saw Mr. Xie standing at the door.

“Boss Xie isn’t busy, huh.”

“Not busy.”

Mr. Xie took over the bag with the watermelon from Wen Changling’s hand.

Sister Tao’s action of packing the bananas paused, “You two...” She wondered if she was overthinking, “Are you dating?”

Mr. Xie did not prevaricate and openly admitted, “Yes, we’re dating.”

Sister Tao: “!”

Ah, our Changling is so low-key.

Coming out of the fruit shop.

Wen Changling asked Mr. Xie, puzzled, “Why did you say that?”

She thought Mr. Xie had agreed with her preference for privacy.

“Why not say it?”

She bowed her head, talking nonsense, “Because I like talking about the underground.”

“You have that hobby?” Xie Shang laughed, the beautiful pupils veiled with a layer of post-rain mist, his gaze moist like it held affection, “We can play in private, but there’s no need to hide it publicly.”

How do you play in private?

Mr. Xie really is experienced and knowledgeable.

Wen Changling adjusted her glasses in an attempt to cover up, “I was joking.”

This topic wasn’t suitable for an in-depth discussion.

Just then—

Wen Changling stopped walking, “The electricity is back.”

Instantly, lanterns all down the street lit up, the rain stopped, and the world was turned upside down, reflecting on the puddles on the ground. Water droplets fell from the eaves, and thus, the whole world began to stir.

Xie Shang closed his umbrella and with his now free hand, naturally took hold of Wen Changling’s.

She looked back at him, puzzled.

The electricity was back, the lights shone brightly, and people from various shops started to come out one after another, slowly bringing life to the street.

Some were watching them.

Wen Changling instinctively pulled her hand back, but Xie Shang held on a bit tighter, “By tomorrow, people will probably be talking about our romance.”

She was puzzled, “Do you like it this way?”

Being so high-profile wasn’t Xie Shang’s style.

He didn’t answer her question, instead asking her, “Do you usually follow entertainment news?”

“A little.”

“Then do you know what’s the quickest way to quell a hot issue?”

Wen Changling shook her head, “What?”

Xie Shang bowed his head, leaning close to her ear, close as if to kiss her, “By creating a new event.”

He didn’t mention Ah Na at all, but Wen Changling understood.

Wen Changling didn’t like others talking about Ah Na, and Xie Shang was the most attentive person she had ever met.

Many neighbors had seen it.

Boss Xie from Ruyi Pawnshop and Miss Wen, the tenant from Lotus Pond Street, walked hand in hand into Granny Zhu’s courtyard.

And then, the word spread from person to person.

When Xie Shang returned to his own courtyard, Chu Guanlin had already been waiting for him in the western guest room for quite some time.

He had finished reading the materials Chu Guanlin brought over, which weren’t lengthy, just a few pages of paper.

“That’s all there is?”

Chu Guanlin was Xie Shang’s college classmate, previously working at Fragrant City’s court, now transferred to the capital.

“Four years ago, the legal system was maliciously sabotaged; all the case information regarding Wen Zhaoyang was deleted.

The case is too old, it was a closed trial, and the court didn’t retain any video evidence, what we have now was manually added later,” Chu Guanlin said, “The Prosecutor’s Office should have a paper archive, but it is restricted with high access permissions.

I’ve asked a few people, but none can access it.”

Wen Zhaoyang was Wen Changling’s brother, her twin.

Seven years ago, Wen Zhaoyang was incarcerated for murder. Not long after the first trial was concluded, Wen Zhaoyang died in prison, stated in the records as suicide due to fear of his crime.

“Boss Xie.”

A hearty voice came from outside the courtyard.

Xie Shang put the materials away and stood up to welcome the visitor.

It was Boss Wang from the Dessert Shop.

Boss Wang was holding Xie Shang’s cellphone, “Boss Xie, you left your phone at my shop.”

Boss Wang handed the cellphone to Xie Shang; he had come specifically to return it.

After thanking him, Xie Shang poured a cup of tea for Boss Wang, “I’m sorry for bothering you to make the trip.”

“No problem, it’s not that far,” Boss Wang drank the tea, downing it in one gulp in his usual forthright manner, “You saw the person you were waiting for, right?”

“Yes, I did.”

After finishing his tea, Boss Wang waved his hand, “Well, I’ll be going back then.”

Boss Wang left.

Chu Guanlin, leaning on the doorframe, laughed at Xie Shang after witnessing the scene, “Since when did you become so forgetful?”

In four years as classmates, Xie Shang was almost inhuman in his perfection, never making lowly mistakes. He’d made plenty of big mistakes, but those weren’t errors; they were changing the rules, like exposing the opaque selection process for the Law School’s overseas study spots on the theater stage, which led to the departure of the university’s vice dean, the Law School dean, and even a dean of academic affairs.